UCU call for more support as E. Africa Games draw close
Lion Assurance Managing Director Newton Jazire (L) hands a dummy cheque to UCU’s Katabazi at the university’s main campus in Mukono yesterday. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
Uganda’s Ndejje University are the defending champions. With the inclusion of woodball, which was first played at Ndejje in the whole of East Africa, the Luwero-based institution, will again start as hot favourites
MUKONO
Uganda Christian University (UCU) have promised a stellar show. They want to stage the most memorable East Africa University Games (EAUG).
“We are the first private university picked to stage the games and we are not taking this chance for granted,” Ann Katabazi, the local organising committee head, said during a ceremony to unveil sponsors for the December 17-21 event in Mukono yesterday.
At the function, Centenary Bank, Movit Products Limited and Lion Assurance, were announced as sponsors for the games set to attract 55 universities from the region. Centenary offered Shs5m with Lion Assurance pledging a Shs55.3m package, part of which Shs5.32m is cash.
The balance will go to health insurance cover for all UCU athletes who get injured during the competition. Movit offered an assortment of balls, trophies and jerseys.
Katabazi, however, said they are still short of the required Shs1.2b to stage a successful show. “If you have friends out there willing to support, kindly bring them on board,” she said.
“We are still knocking on more doors. We are determined to have the best ever games.” National University Sports Federation of Uganda (Nusfu) vice-president Vincent Kisenyi revealed that woodball and scrabble have been added to the list of competition disciplines. “Swimming will be staged at Kampala Parents, hockey at Lugogo and rugby at Namilyango,” revealed Kisenyi.
22 Kenyan universities have already confirmed participation. Hosts Uganda have entered 23, Tanzania nine and one from Rwanda.
Uganda’s Ndejje University are the defending champions. With the inclusion of woodball, which was first played at Ndejje in the whole of East Africa, the Luwero-based institution, will again start as hot favourites.
